Interview to Eleonora Molinaro: “Italy is an amazing country, I love playing there”

Eleonora Molinaro

LiveTennis.it contacted the Luxembourgish professional tennis player Eleonora Molinaro, actually ranked at no.374 in WTA Singles Ranking. Here’s the interview, you can also check the ITALIAN VERSION.

Let’s start this interview with an “off-topic” question: Eleonora, we know you are of Italian origin. Can you tell us your story?
“Hello to all my LiveTennis’ friends! My grandfather and my father comes from Friuli Venezia Giulia, i’m also learning your languague since 2014. I just love Italy“.

You are only eighteen but you already have a lot of experience. You play for Luxembourg, a small country with some good players as Mandy Minella and Gilles Muller. What about tennis there? How’s important to play under the same colours of that players?
“I’m very proud to have participate for four years in a row in Fed Cup and playing the Grand Slams for Luxembourg. It’s very important for me to show the big countries that even in a small country we can reach something“.

What’s your relationship with Mandy Minella? We know you play together in Fed Cup.
“I’m happy that Mandy Minella plays Fed Cup with me. She gives me some advices every time we play together for Luxembourg, that’s really important”.

Tell us something about your “daily routine”. Are you attending school?
“I do fitness five times per week (two hours) and i play tennis four times per week (two hours). I’m doing French home-schooling, i have the exams this year”.

Where do you practice and who’s your coach?
“I’m practicing in my Luxembourgish Club since 2007 named Tc Aquebusiers and I’m training with Julien Mathieu, Gilles Kremer and Yves Grandjean as fitness”.

This year you reached the final in Firenze and you won Trofeo Bonfiglio. What are your feelings when playing in Italy?
“I feel like an half-italian because i always try to speak your language and i think the people knows from the name i have an Italian origin. Trofeo Bonfiglio it’s a Grade A, it’s an amazing tournament where all the players use to play: even for my country it was the first win there“.

You played good at ITF Masters in China, losing in the final against Fernandez…
“I was so happy and proud of myself to get the qualification for the Top-8 Masters of China. I didn’t except that, i’m sad about the results. For a little country as Luxembourg, this was a great result“.

You reached your best ranking at no.374 WTA. You won two ITF Titles in Antalya (Turkey) and Gonesse (France), what are your feelings?
“I was very happy after winning my first $15,000 tournament, these two wins made me very confidence and gave me important point for WTA Singles ranking”.

What are your plans for the future, in terms of tournament and ranking? Do you have an idol in ATP/WTA Pro Circuits? 
“My 2018 season is finished, i have started the pre-season and i’ll be back playing tournaments only in mid January or in the first week of February. I don’t have any goals on WTA Ranking, it’s very hard to define it but i’d like to take part to US Open Qualifying Tournament. It would be amazing.
My biggest idol is Nadal, from girls i like Wozniacki, Serena Williams and Halep”.

Last question for you: what can you say about your experience in Buenos Aires Olympic Games?
“It was a pleasure to be part of the team in Buenos Aires. I didn’t expect to play there because i wasn’t playing so much tournaments to get the qualification“.